It’s the time of year for giving! Most non-profit organizations rely heavily on donations to survive, and they tend to get the bulk of their funding around this time of year. With the deadline for making tax-deductible donations quickly approaching, here are 15 amazing not-for-profit organizations working toward a more shareable future that need your support today.
1. Shareable (of course!)
Shareable is crowdfunding its future with a goal to raise $15,000 by December 31st. This empowering hub for sharing case studies and how-tos promotes the sharing movement 24/7. Shareable is nearing its goal — you can help put it over the top. And check out the cool premiums that you get for donating including copies of Shareable's book, Share or Die, and STICKERS!
2. Creative Commons
The ubiquitous, brilliant work of the Creative Commons project has had a profound impact on sharing and remix culture by creating a fair licensing framework which honors and facilitates creative culture. They also just celebrated their tenth birthday!
Donate to Creative Commons.
3. On The Commons
On the Commons describes itself as a “commons movement strategy center” and has created an impressive collection of resources to help communities mobilize to better protect the commons, like our water, seeds, farmland, food, and more.
Donate to On The Commons.
4. The Foundation for Peer to Peer Alternatives
The P2P Foundation is one of many incredible organizations striving to make sense of a new, participatory and shareable future. Their meticulous, thoughtful, and powerfully inspiring research and writing on the emerging P2P paradigm is vital, and with over 80% of donations going directly toward knowledge commons work and publishing you can be sure that your gift makes a difference.
Donate to the P2P Foundation.
5. The Sustainable Economies Law Center
A brave new world of sustainable economic development requires new legal frameworks, tools and resources, all of which the Sustainable Economies Law Center works to provide. Supporting the SELC means supporting the people who will pave the way for legislation that makes resilient new economic, political and social practices possible.
Donate to the Sustainable Economies Law Center.
6. Center for a New American Dream
The Center for a New American Dream challenges Americans to refocus priorities away from consumer culture and work toward things that really matter (especially around the holidays): improving quality of life, building community and protecting planet. They've become leading proponents of sharing also having recently publish their Guide to Sharing in partnership with Shareable.
Donate to the Center for a New American Dream.
7. Code for America
Code for America rallies civic-minded software programmers, designers, and communicators of all stripes to create and share apps that help local governments run better and increase the participation of citizen in government. Their programs are unique and powerful including The Code for America Brigade, fellowships, and a new civic startup accelerator.
8. Rebuild the Dream
Rebuild the Dream works tirelessly for a more sustainable and just economy. Its current campaigns are focused on mortgage and student loan debt, which are holding back people and the US economy as a whole. Help unleash their potential.
Donate to Rebuild the Dream.
9. The Story of Stuff
Wonder how our consumer economy wastes so much stuff? The Story of Stuff project explains it better than any organization on the planet. They're now turning to advocating for solutions like sharing to help stop mindless waste, and their world-class educational efforts are worthy of your support.
Donate to The Story of Stuff.
10. The Electronic Frontier Foundation
I know I’m not alone when I say that I have a huge crush on the EFF, an organization with an incredible reputation for fighting for an open, free internet at a time when creators and citizens need it most. Their work has included fighting for free speech and privacy rights while tirelessly opposing policy which endangers the net (like SOPA, ACTA and TPP).
Donate to the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
11. The Ada Initiative
Named after the very first programmer, Ada Lovelace, The Ada Initiative has a mission to encourage and empower women’s participation in open technology and culture. Though a relatively new organization, it has already made important waves in the tech community with efforts to make conferences safer for women and by developing important workshops and training. A donation to the Ada Initiative is the perfect gift for the ladies in your life (and those who love them too).
12. Public Knowledge
Like other organizations on this list, Public Knowledge plays an important role to protect the openness, creativity, and innovation of the Internet. Its work on telecommunications, copyright and web policy is essential stuff for the 21st century.
Donate to Public Knowledge.
13. The Free Software Foundation
The Free Software Foundation has a mission to support the development and adoption of free, open software. They’re responsible for major campaigns against software patents and digital restrictions management (DRM), they work on the GNU operating system, and fight for the essential freedoms of computer users (that’s probably you!). Plus, when you donate, you get a cool USB membership card.
Donate to the Free Software Foundation.
14. Your local hackerspace
What better way to help build local sharing economies than to invest in the people working on important creative projects in your own neighborhood? Many hackerspaces are volunteer-run on shoestring budgets, and could use your support at this time of year to help keep spaces open, build capacity, or develop new workshops and projects. Donating locally presents a powerful way to give back to innovators, hackers and sharers in your own city.
Find hackerspaces near you here to get in touch.
15. Free Press
The concentration of media ownership in the US and elsewhere threatens democracy. Free Press fights for universal Internet access, diverse media ownership, vibrant public media, and quality journalism. Yeah, we need more of this.
What are your favourite organizations? Who’s missing on this list, and what projects are you supporting this holiday season?
